Overview & Reviews

Chevrolet sells an impressively wide range of vehicles, from subcompact hatchbacks to huge vans and SUVs. If you're looking for a reasonably priced vehicle, odds are that Chevy will have something to fit your needs.

Chevrolet got its start in 1911. After William C. Durant had been ousted from General Motors, he joined forces with Swiss-born racecar driver Louis Chevrolet to found the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. The company's first offering was the Classic Six. Introduced in 1912, this five-passenger touring sedan could top 65 mph, fast for the time. Chevrolet's storied bowtie logo -- reportedly inspired by the wallpaper of a Paris hotel room that Durant stayed at -- made its first appearance in 1914.

By 1918, Chevrolet's profitability allowed Durant to purchase enough shares in GM to regain control. Chevrolet became another division of GM, and was its largest volume division by the mid-1920s. By 1927, Chevrolet outsold rival Ford, with sales in excess of 1 million units.

In the mid-1930s Chevrolet introduced independent front suspension, which provided a smoother ride over the rough roads of the day. The 1940s saw continued success with affordable coupes, sedans and pickup trucks catering to American families, farmers and businessmen.

By the mid-1950s, Chevrolet, GM's entry-level division, had added a V8 engine, power steering and brakes, power windows and air-conditioning to its list of available features, allowing luxury for those on a tighter budget. Around this time the iconic Bel Air model -- available in coupe, sedan, convertible and wagon body styles -- proved very popular. The company introduced its alluring Corvette in 1953; the vehicle was the first mass-produced car with a fiberglass body.

The 1960s saw the unveiling of the popular, air-cooled Corvair compact, which held the distinction of being the first domestic production car with all-around independent suspension. That decade also witnessed the launch of the compact Nova, the midsize Chevelle and the sporty Camaro, the latter Chevrolet's answer to the wildly successful Ford Mustang. The Camaro proved an instant hit, comprising 10 percent of Chevrolet's total sales in 1967, its first year of production.

In the 1970s, Chevy responded to changing preferences by introducing small cars like the Vega and the Chevette, and by downsizing larger models such as the Caprice and Malibu. The company combated the market domination of foreign nameplates in the 1980s by rolling out the Cavalier. By the end of that decade, trucks and SUVs had started to become increasingly popular with the general consumer, and the brand's mid- and full-size models continue to this day to be some of the most popular on the road.

The '90s and the early 2000s saw the company raising the performance bar with its Corvette (notably the Z06 and, later, ZR1 variants) and reincarnated Impala SS. Chevrolet's Silverado pickup truck and Tahoe/Suburban SUVs continued to be hits as well. By 2010, the Camaro had returned to the lineup after a seven-year hiatus.

Modern times have seen Chevrolet make significant improvements in its small and midsize car models and introduce the Volt plug-in hybrid. The latter provides a nearly 40-mile range on electric power alone, and adds to the company's already well-rounded lineup of cars, trucks and SUVs. Though today's marketplace is very demanding, Chevrolet seems poised to remain a power player through its affordable and innovative vehicles.

User Reviews:

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  A Dependable Ride - 1997 Chevrolet Lumina
  By vikki - November 11 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Lumina for three years, having bought it new. Except for an alternator at 55,000 miles and routine maintenance, I havent had to do a thing.Solid road car, I put on a lot of miles per year. My daughter is getting this one for going back and forth to college while I buy another Lumina with lower miles. I wish they would rethink discontinuing this model--its the best car Ive ever owned.

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  A Wlell Rounded Truck - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By lLostArk - November 11 - 2:00 am

  For a truck, a very comfotable vehicle. I use it to tow, haul payloads, go 4 wheeling on sand and mud, and transport a middle school s basketball team. It has been flawless mechanically and in each of its SUV roles. Only nit-pick is I could use a bit more cargo room, so Im thinking of moving up to a Suburban.

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  Still Runs like new - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By cavalier - November 10 - 10:00 am

  Bought my cavalier new in december 1995, drove it over 130,000 and it runs like the day i bought it!!!! Dependable and FUN to drive

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  Id buy it again - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By Lugwrench - November 10 - 10:00 am

  the key to this car is it does allthings fairly well. It has adistinctly American feeling as far as room and comfort is concerned. Anyone considering a family car should give it a good test drive

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  best advice is to rent one first - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By blazerlover - November 10 - 10:00 am

  the "pros" do not score this suv very well, so i put it to the test myself. i rented one for 2 days, and LOVED it! it is a great vehicle. it is so smooth through every gear, every road condition, and every turn. the power is well distributed through out all 4 gears. not only that, the braking is unbelievable when i tow my boat. i was set on a durango. until i rented this vehicle to put it to MY test. it is a much better vehicle than the durango.

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  A great car at a great price. - 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By BigCL - November 10 - 9:50 am

  Ive had my 2005 Monte Carlo for about 9 months now. So far its been a great car. There arent too many coupes that seat a person over 6ft very well. The Monte Carlo has plenty of headroom and leg room and. Power from the 3.4L is decent. Capable of passing on the highway without a struggle. The interior is quiet, with very little engine noise(in fact sometimes its hard to tell weather or not the car started when you turn the ignition), and I have yet to hear any wind noise even at highway speed. I would reccomend this vechilce to anyone looking for a 2dr coupe at an affordable price.

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  Incredible car - 1992 Chevrolet Camaro
  By nelsonds - November 10 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned this car for over 4 years and have needed to do nothing but change the oil and put on new brakes. The 3rd generation body style is over 10 years old now, so a good-looking vehicle can turn a few heads these days. It might not be a technologically advanced as the new ones, but the 5.7 TPI will still rock your world when the foot hits the pedal!

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  Another Impala LTZ For Me - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By markgigharbor53 - November 9 - 8:50 pm

  This is my second Impala LTZ in two years. I traded my 06 for this 08. Great car for the money. The car is wonderfully equipped, as was my 06. I drive for business so I put on a lot of miles. The only complaint I have with the 08 is the lower fuel mileage vs the 06. I am only averaging around 23.5 hwy. (28-30 with same engine/options on the 06) Check eng. light finally came on Sunday with 10k miles. Took to dealer who said it was a throttle body unit. I hope it will solve the FM issue. If you have an 08 with disappointing mileage then have them check it out. Overall you will not be disappointed with an 08 Impala LTZ!

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  I love my car! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By ccjdb11 - November 9 - 5:26 pm

  I have looked and admired this vehcile since it first came out!And I finally got the deal that I wanted and the car that I wanted with the features I desired! This is the only car that my husband and myself both agreed on. We went to the dealership and drove off that day! Plenty of room for 2 growing boys in the back. Looking in from the outside doesnt do it justice! My in- laws even said that from the outside it didnt look like it had much room but when they opened it up and rode they themselves were really impressed! I cant say enough about this SUV other than I waited a long time to fall in love with a car and I found it in the Equinox!

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  Great little car - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Chris Graham - November 9 - 2:00 am

  I just recently bought my prizm from a dealership after spending months looking at corollas. i couldnt believe the fact that they are the exact same car. the only thing i wish it had was a center armrest console. but it drives great, gets great gas mileage and was priced to sell so im more than happy!